Tensei: Yin Yang
by The KittyCorn Nation
Summary: Two young women. Two young women flying to London for a school event, falling, panicking—dead before they hit the water. Two young women, born again. [duel self-insert; written by /M L and 7-Ag]
1. Death of Two Plants: Prologue

**Monochrome Lynx: (to audience) Hello and welcome to Tensei II, and we're your hosts! My name is Monochrome Lynx, and this here is Seven Silver! ...That sounds so cliché.**

 **Seven Silver: Yup. Sorry to break it to yah, Lynx**

 **ML: (sighs) Oh well. Shall we let the readers move on to the story?**

 **7S: I promise you, this story isn't as cliché as this pre-story script** **—and yes, let the readers go on!**

 **ML: On with the story!**

.

.

Two young women.

Two young women flying to London.

Two young women flying to London for a school event.

Two young woman flying to London for a school event, falling, panicking—dead before they hit the water.

Two young women, born again.

.

.

 _It started like so_ :

Alice Grey, freshmen in an American high school somewhere in Texas, stared out the window in wonder. Having never been on a plane before, she wanted to drink in the scenery of flying above the clouds. She'd been doing so for the last hour.

Then there was Elleina Tamayo, another freshman in an American high school. She stared out the window with familiarity, having already boarded planes several times before. It wasn't at all new to her and she soon grew exasperated with gazing at clouds outside their tiny window. It reminded her of the many times she moved in and out of countries against her will—helplessly watching as she's torn away from a life she had just gotten used to.

Elleina frowned, turning away from the window. She slept the trip away, not knowing what else to do otherwise.

Alice looked over to her friend as she slept. She gave a tiny smirk when she remembered her _other_ friends' jealousy. She had barely met the requirements for the drawing that chosen the lucky students, and somehow, she'd made it. And yay for that! She'd needed it, too. Her latest story had been rotting for five months, and even though she'd played through the game three times since, she was still stuck on the… what chapter was it? She pulled her glorified tablet and pulled up a the internet. Dear god, it was _really_ bad when she forgot what chapter she was on!

A second before she could open the page, the 'bloop' of Skype grabbed her attention away. Alice snorted at the chat. After adding in her thoughts, she was bombarded by messages from her friends. They had all entered the drawing. No one other than Elleina had won—well, none other than the other students—

The plane shook. Turbulence, most likely, but that didn't to help calm the erratic terror that rose in her mind. In her mind's eye, smoke trailed from the right wing and out into the night sky…

But it was real!

Elleina jolted awake, turning turned to Alice and giving her a questioning glance. However, she only saw Alice string out of the window, eyes wide in horror. Curious, she peered outside the window and her own eyes widened.

"What's happening?" She shouted, alarmed.

"I-I don't know…" Alice's voice shook. Fear gripped her heart, thousands of times worse than looking down on the Titan at Six Flags. Someone (another student? another passenger?) screamed behind them, and then—

The wing exploded, a burst of heat overwhelmed passengers. Loud screams and shouts could be heard, and little children cried in terror.

From beside Elleina, the window burst open, sending glass shards in every which way. She screamed as she saw Alice's head whip back, a shard sticking out of her forehead like a unicorn's horn, eyes still wide. But before she could do anything else, her scream was suddenly silenced by another—larger—explosion, and… was dead in milliseconds.

.

.

 **7S: How'd you like it? Well, I mean we died. That's something... right?**

 **ML: I died a unicorn. YAY! And yeah. So (to reader) if you haven't guessed, this is a double self insert staring the personas of yours truly and 7S.**

 **7S: I know, genius.**

 **ML: I honestly can't tell if you're using sarcasm or calling the idea genius... ^ ^"**

 **7S: hehehehe... No one knows how my mind works. _I'm_ a genius.**

 **ML: But who's the (SPOILER) here?**

 **7S: AAAAHHHH MY EYES! I CAN NEVER UNSEE WHAT I JUST SAW! MAYDAY MAYDAY (runs around the room)**

 **ML: What the f*k?**

 **7S: MY POOR SPOILED EYES TT. TT**

 **ML: (to audience, because I like to talk to you) Well, while my partner here is acting like a plane [the pun], I'm going to say the traditional "REVEIW!" and wave good-bye as we fade into a Lee-Gai-sensei-induced sunset...**

 **7S: eyes...**

 **ML: ...and RIP 7S's eyes while you're at it**

 **(a scene of Lee and Gai-sensei hugging appears along with the sunset-of-eye-burning-and-biju-terrifying-youthfulness)**


	2. Fiery Flower of Steel: One

**Fiery Flower of Steel: One**

 **7S** **: Hello!**

 ***Peers out to the audience***

 **7S: Welcome to my angst-filled mind, and enjoy the first chapter!**

I remembered everything. The plane crash, the explosions, Alice's pierced forehead. I was born crying. I was terrified of the blood, the dead, how fast it all ended. Born to my parent's yelling and the doctor's screaming at them in an unfamiliar language, I longed for someone—anyone—to protect my tiny body, my fragile mind, from the coldness of this world. Yet, my cries fell upon deaf ears. I was ignored and helpless in that cage called a crib and I couldn't even listen to the conversation, only knowing it was vaguely familiar.

In fact, I spent most of this life ignored and helpless. Abandoned at birth, I was left on the doorstep of a local orphanage. I felt the cold winds rush past my face, being carried by the one who will condemn me. The even colder rain drops fall and soak through the thin blanket. I was still crying—the whole way there, my babyish cries echoed through the dark night as I was laid on the doorstep. I clung to the comfort of a lone lamp hung above my head. I was afraid.

My tiny hands reached for it, helpless and damned. The creak of the door went ignored as I continued to weep for a life disregarded— _my_ life disregarded—as nothing more than another leaf dropped from a tree in autumn, left to be trampled on by boots. I was carried inside, the cold winds no longer brushing my face and my cries dying down to small whimpers. Never had I felt so alone.

I was a newborn condemned to a life in hell's fire.

* * *

When I was three, I was the most peculiar child of my age. I preferred to be left alone, declining all the offers to play. Children veered away from my direction, and I was left alone to mope and cry. My adult mind didn't want the things other children wanted; I didn't act like the other children acted, and I didn't think like the other children thought.

I was eighteen in the body of three.

I wasn't as naïve as they were. I _knew_ things. I didn't hope for my parents to come back for me because I knew they wouldn't. I didn't want a new family to take me under their wing. I didn't even like my caretakers.

They ignored me and left me on my own. As long as I was fed and given a bed to rest, their orphanage would get funded, and that was about all they cared about. They left the kids to play about, and punished the kids that would ruin the "establishment's reputation". They didn't care.

So I ran away. I ran from that God-forsaken orphanage—the place where my parents left me to rot. Taking my few belongings (a pen and paper, a sack, and some bread I stole from the pantry) I left, jumping out of the window and climbing over the walls in the dead of night.

From then on, I really was on my own. I walked around aimlessly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Truth be told, I never went out of the orphanage. I'd always stayed inside, keeping to my own thoughts. I wanted to leave all of this behind, and improve my life. I wanted to feel loved—the love of my previous life. I wanted to feel warmth. I was so tired of this cold, dark winter, and the only way to get away was to reach out for a bright summer. But I couldn't. Not while my body was stuck at the tender age of three.

It was difficult getting around. I was alone and clueless, like a lamb lost in a vast forest at night. In two days I had eaten all my food. I resisted the urge to steal, but after two days of better judgment, I couldn't help it. I stole an apple from the market, running away, and shoving it in my sack. But the first time I attempted it, was the only attempt that went unnoticed.

The next time, I stole an orange and did not come out of it unscathed—or rather I did, but it caused more harm than I would have wanted. Chased and chased and chased until I could no longer run, I got beaten with a stick. I heard a cracking snap and, oddly, felt no pain. I didn't bother question it, running away with thoughts of escape.

But then, when I stopped running, it sunk in. Why didn't that hurt? That made me stop. Hesitantly, I picked up a stick from the rain-soaked earth, and closed my eyes and… I heard the sickening crack and winced, opening my eyes… but what I saw, I didn't expect.

Instead of a broken arm (which would sound ridiculous when I recalled the event later), it was the _stick_ that broke in two. I peered over to my arm, dropping the stick in horror. My back hit a tree, and I slumped down it, my eyes fixed at my unharmed arm.

It was silver.

Who am I? _What_ am I?

I'm a freak. A mutation—a monster. Could this have been why my parents abandoned me? Because I was this child who turned silver every time I got hurt? Could the silver have acted up at my birth? In front of my parents, making them not want me? To think that I ignored my flame-orange hair telling me that I was different—I should have known I was different. I should have _known_.

I curled up into the tree's roots, sobbing.

Why was I borne to this life of suffering? Why did the God up there send me to rot and perish alone? What have I done to deserve this? Why did He give me this second chance at all? I couldn't even blame the children for ignoring me, or my parents for running away from a freakish child. Who would want to carry my burden? To house a freak and be made fun of because of a stupid mutation? It wasn't worth it. _I_ wasn't worth it.

" _Hoot. Hoot."_

I peered up at the noise, my eyes wet from shed tears.

" _Hoot,"_ said the owl, tilting its head at me, inching closer and closer, eyes never blinking. I reached my hand out slowly, timidly, afraid that it'd escape if I made one wrong move.

It spread its wings, jumping out to my out-stretched arm. Its claws tried to dig into it, but my whole forearm turned silver. I gave it a small smile.

"How come an animal will reach out, and not kids or adults?" I asked sarcastically to myself.

"Hoot. Hoot," the owl tilts its head.

"Well, I guess you're the first," I chuckle for the first time in—now thinking about it, my entire life. I've never noticed it before—how I either cried, or had this straight, almost frowning face.

"Skeek!" the owl screeched, flapping its wings wildly. I jerked back, hitting my head against the tree, and curling in on myself.

"Ouch!" I said, rubbing my head. The owl was now over three feet away, its perch forgotten. "And just when I thought the owl was nice…"

I stayed by the tree for at least ten minutes, watching the owl warily. The bird craned its neck in all directions, searching. Suddenly, it took off, leaving me forlorn and behind. Why am I feeling this way? I should have known better. Owls were animals incapable of emotion. It felt nothing when it approached me, and nothing when it left. It might as well have been my parents.

I curled up under the twisted branches of the tree, leaning my head back against its stiff bark. Slowly, my eyes lulled themselves closed. My mind went on a state of momentary bliss, welcoming oblivion with open arms…

I slept dreamlessly.

* * *

When I awoke, I was surprised to be greeted by the same owl, a mouse hanging in its beak. It inched close, dropping the rodent at my feet as if to offer it to me. The owl positioned itself in between the roots and beside me, staring at me intently with its large dark eyes. Its white feathers glowing in the moon's light.

Looks like I slept through the afternoon. The owl continued to stare at me expectantly, the mouse left on my feet. I reached for it, holding it with my pointing finger and thumb in disgust. The mouse was bleeding, and now, flies swarmed around its dead carcass. I handed it back.

"I think I'll pass," I said, turning away from the owl as it greedily devoured the mouse. From my sack, I took out my uneaten orange, remembering the trouble I went through to get myself the food. Peeling it with my dirty hands, I savored each slice, eating it silently.

The owl, finishing it's own meal, continued to stare at me. Looking at the it closely, the owl was beautiful, with black markings around its face and eyes dark, with little signs of yellow. Stripes ran down from its neck to its breast, and its feathers were pearl white.

"So guess you really didn't abandon me, huh?" I sighed. My shoulders slumped back, relaxed, and a breath of relief escaped me.

"Hoo," it sung, tilting its head to the right. I chuckled, reaching my arm out to the owl, it jumped up to my arm again, my arm turning to its silver luster.

"The name's Mirako."

"Hoot. Hoo!" the owl fluttered its pearl wings wildly, I extended my arm further from myself.

"Calm down! Sheesh," I sighed. Pulling it closer once it settled down.

"I guess I'll have to name you then." I smiled. I've always been good at giving names, or making them up. It always made me happy when I get to choose a name for something, because a name to me, is your identity- something that makes you, you. To be the person to name a child, or anything really, you need to consider what you want from the child or animal, or… whatever you're naming.

"Kyokan. Compassion." I declared. "Nice to meet you, Kyokan."

It had a nice ring to it.

I had to test it out a couple of times, the word being foreign to me. It easily slid on my tongue, yet it was so hard to get out. How contradicting.

"I think I'll call you Kyo for short." I nod at myself, satisfied. Kyo hoots in agreement, while I grin. To think that my first friend was an owl, and not a human being, was slightly disappointing really, but who in their right mind would befriend me anyway?

Well, I had a friend. I shouldn't complain.

* * *

7 **S: And there you go! An emotion-filled angsty chapter.**

 **Mirako: Why am I so... emo?**

 **Kyokan: Hoot! Hoo!**

 **7S: Because you're a trouble child, that's why!**

 **Mirako: Why did you make me a trouble child?**

 **7S: I dunno, I just felt like it.**

 ***Chorus of sweatdrops***

 **7S: So who's gonna say it?**

 **Kyokan: Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!**

 **Mirako: She said she wanted to do it.**

 **7S: But she's an owl she can't-**

 **Kyokan: HOOOT HOOO SKEEK!**

 **Mirako: She said to review.**

 ***Kyokan tries to tear S7's eyeballs.***

 **7S: AAAHHH! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! JUST STOP YOU GOSH DARN BIRD!**

 **Kyokan: SKEEEK HOOOOO HOOT!**

 **Mirako: I think this is where I end everything. Good bye! and Review pleasseeee...**

 ***Lynx appears***

 **ML: And don't forget to RIP 7S's eyes!**


	3. Silent Voice of the Branch: One

**ML: So. I finished (and edited) this chapter a couple of days ago, told 7S, and she won't be reading it until you guys do. Enjoy!**

.

.

I was born silent. The shock of it all was too—it was too much for a newborn's mind, and, to an extent, my mind. It was mine, wasn't it? I couldn't think. Lights too bright, shadows—menacing forms of monsters—too dark, sounds half-heard and yet too loud to ignore, the blurry babble of words foreign— _just_ so that I couldn't place it. Nothing made sense—

The air ( _icantbreath!)_ became chalk-full of a buzzing, ebbing, flowing, energetic stuff that cut the sharp lines of the room I was in. It was smoke—too thick to _breath_ —and my body reacted. Violently.

.

.

The first year was a foggy mirage of screaming and panic. I remembered little of those days; the only memories were that of a screaming panic that reared its terrifying head at what seemed to be every waking hour. And when the screaming subsided, I remembered. I remembered that day on the plane, my exact thoughts before… something happened and I was reborn; I couldn't remember my death—could only recall the pain of a migraine on steroids in my forehead… Had it been pierced somehow? The skull has a lot of nerves around it, which explains the pain, but was Elleina all right? Or had she died as well? And had she been reborn as I had?

The thought sent a wave of unease through my tiny body, and it reacted in the usual way of cries.

Reborn. It was a concept I was familiar with (having read countless fan fictions about it), but had never really thought was true. If I had been reincarnated in the traditional way, why hadn't my memories been wiped? And who really was in charge of that shit anyways? Was it God? Hades? Whomever was to blame, I really wasn't understanding why _me_. In my previous life (previous. Oh, god, I died…) I was lazy and cowardly. I hated to do things I didn't want to do, and my stubbornness had nearly been my downfall several times. I was one of the worst people to even _consider_ to be reincarnated!

…the situation was eerily similar to the one that had gotten me a slot for the trip. Had I barely met the requirements? My cries reached a higher pitch. If that was so… could Elleina have… come… with me…?

Mother came rushing in, and I could see that her dark brunet hair (short because any stray antlers could snag anything longer) was messy with sleep. Damn. My late-night thinking had woken her. I've always tried to time it so that at least one of my (new) parents was awake when I got that _deep_ when I thought. It all boiled down to one simple equation:

Deep Thinking + One-Year-Old Body = Crying Bay.

It wasn't like I had enough self-awareness (mentally, anyway) to do anything about it. It was a sort of disconnectedness—one that was made even worse with this energy that I could _feel_ pulse with each beat of my heart. Speaking of…

Mother's energy smoothed over me—not choking, she'd long learned that if she tried to smother me, I'd choke—and a soft lullaby lulled past her lips. I calmed, my mind, my fragile, oh so distractible, baby mind, tricking me into the blissful calm…

.

.

My name had once been Alice Grey. Once. That was the key word here—the word that hinted at there being more than just that. Just Alice Grey. But I was no longer Alice Grey, was I? I was no longer a teenage American fan fiction writer with a dream to be a video game designer. No longer _her_. I am a completely different person now. No longer was I Alice Grey… but Eda Koe, daughter the Eda clan, branch clan to the Nara. We herded the aggressive cousins of the the shy deer our main clan cared for in the Konohagakue no Sato Nara Forests. At the age of five, we were given a small herd to raise. One herd per child, and if you were too stupid to take care of one, too bad. Life was tough. Deal with it.

Konohagakure no Sato. The Village Hidden in the Leaves. Konoha. Nara. Naruto. Naruto, the comic character that had a bullshit genin team and still managed to save the world. What. The. Hell.

WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DID I DO IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE TO BE REINCARNATED HERE! I was virtually useless! I couldn't mold chakra outside my body without pain, I fucking choked on it whenever too much of it was in the air, and I was about the _worst_ person to send to a war-torn world where _children entered the military at fucking six_! Lazy, cowardly, and clingy were _not_ the traits a protagonist needed!

…But what could I do? I was already born, already into my second year. I guess I could just off myself, but could I really throw away a second chance? And besides, that would be too much effort.

Spoken like a true Nara (even though I was apart of a branch clan).

It would be awhile before I could do anything.

.

.

I'd just turned three. I loved my wintry birthday party—I'd gotten a drawing pad, a drawing kit, and, get this, a _me-sized deer plushie_! I love it! It's as large as me and floppy! The gleeful squee that come from me most defiantly brought a smile to the faces of my clansmen. _No one_ could go through that squee and not laugh. I'd been adorable.

On the plus side of things (other than Deer-kun, because what could top a me-sized deer plushy?), I now had almost a full grasp on my body's actions. Sometimes this instinct would take over, and I could guess that was something that would always be there. I wasn't used to chakra, spiritually. I guessed that my spirit having no chakra of its own could also account for my inability to mold chakra outside my body. My spirit, I hypothesized, found something nice and warm and decided to not share with anything other than _me_. But I could only guess. Nothing was substantial. In the meantime…

I let out a giggle as I danced out of the reach of Kaa-san. She made a sound of frustrated disappointment, both of us knowing she could have caught me if she wanted to. That, or she was afraid to set off my chakra sensitivity. I blamed my greedy soul for that too. I ducked into the hallway of our home, darting into the guest room where Daiki-ojisan sat playing shoji with Tou-san. Both snorted in amusement as I searched for a hiding spot, and Daiki-ojisan, the wonderfully kind man he was, jerked a thumb to the chest at the foot of the bed. I grinned and leapt in, curling up tightly into the gap between Daiki-ojisan's clothes and his own stuffed toy. All Eda had their own personal plushie doll. It was a useless but fun tradition we of the Nara branch clan Eda were proud to have. And relieved. Because our plushie was the one thing we could talk to after a long day of tending to aggressive deer.

"Koe-chan!" Kaa-san's frustrated yell almost shook the house. "Come and finish your dinner before I take away Deer-kun!"

That was unlikely, because I hid Deer-kun in my hiding spot underneath my bed, and no one in this household knew where _that_ was. I stayed put.

Kaa-san's footsteps stomped in the hallway, stopping at the door to the guestroom. A huff a breath, the sound of a buck before he charged, and the floor creaked as she shifted onto that one floorboard that always creaked no matter how you stepped on it.

" _Kyo_." Kaa-san's voice was like the eye of a storm—calm at the moment, but could turn into a furry in an instant. "Did Koe-chan run in here?"

"Huh?" Tou-san sounded as if he had just realized that his wife was there. "Oh, Aiko-hime. Is something the matter?"

Daiki-ojisan cleared his throat and it was clear that he was hiding his amusement. "Imouto just asked if Koe-chan came in."

"Did she?" I bit my lip to hide my giggles.

"She could have. We all know how unnaturally quiet the child is."

"True that. We might have missed Koe-chan because we were playing shoji."

"Ah, yes. I believe it's your turn, Kyo-san."

"Yes, yes, I know. You're difficult to beat, Daiki-san. I was just thinking up a good move…"

Kaa-san growled, "How you survived a war is beyond me," and stormed out.

"..." Tou-san made a small sound of acknowledgement. "She's gone, Koe-chan. Hide with Deer-kun in your secret hiding spot."

"…" I was silent for a second, reaching out to feel Kaa-san's chakra. It was outside now. "Do… you know… where…?"

"No clue."

I giggled. I climbed from the chest and, after giving each man a short hug for helping me, ran from the room. In my room now, I reached out once again to make sure that no one was nearby to catch me before I slid under the large gap under my bed. There was a loose floorboard underneath my bed—one that soon turned to five as I hollowed out the ground beneath and grew bigger. The space itself was only a crawlspace—big enough for an adult, if they ripped up a few more floorboards. The ground and walls were covered by the sheets that I'd 'borrowed' from the linen closets (Kaa-san had questioned Tou-san for months), with nailed drawings keeping them in place. I crawled down, grinning. No matter what happened, there were always four things that I loved: drawing, writing (though I couldn't here, at least not yet), scaring the living shit outta things, and hiding in hard to find places. The last two actually went hand in hand, now that I though about it.

Deer-kun was looking lonely.

I crawled over and hugged him. _"Don't worry! Koe-chan's here!"_ I said in heavily accented English. Then, of course, there was the three-year-old slur that made my words unintelligible.

I could imagine Deer-kun's voice. _"I wasn't too lonely! I had your wonderful drawings to keep me company!"_

" _But drawings are no replacement placement for living company!"_ I hugged him harder. _"I shouldn't have left you down here all alone!"_

" _But then Kaa-san would have taken me away!"_

" _But still!"_

" _Shh! Someone's coming!"_

Sure enough, Kaa-san's chakra slid into my room. I stilled.

"Koe-chan?" Kaa-san's chakra was much calmer, now. "Damn. She's probably gone off to her secret hiding place. We really need to find where that is…" Her chakra moved off towards her room.

"…close." I said in Japanese.

There was a reason that my secret hiding place remained a secret. I literally gave off no chakra. If I tried to, my skin would prick and itch at the start, and if I continued to try, it would buzz with pain. Not fun. At all. It was also tied together with my inability to mold chakra outside of my body. My hypersensitivity to chakra could be chalked down to the fact that my mind sometimes thought that nature energy and chakra signatures were tied in the same boat as smoke and tried to cough it up. Again, it wasn't fun. But what could I do?

" _Yup,"_ was what Deer-kun said before he fell silent. I hummed, laying back on a pillow and falling into thought.

.

.

I was talking to Deer-kun when it happed. At first, it was a gradual kind of awareness—the slow realization of a tsunami coming as the water receded from the shore.

And then the tsunami crashed down.

I could only voice a faint, wailing cry before the intent paralyzed me. Tears gathered in my eyes as my soon-to-be demise exploded across my vision. I was falling—being eaten alive—drowning—bleeding out—tortured—

"Koe-chan!" Who? I couldn't _think_ , too petrified by the overwhelming waves of malicious chakra that choked my breath and foretold of my second death—the third—the seventh—

I screamed and choked when it stopped, and…

Oblivion.

.

.

Later, when I woke up after a week-long coma, the date of my freak-out reached me.

 _October tenth_.

.

.

 **ML: Note that the differences of scene breaks are simply my and 7S's differences in how we write chapters. (i.e. she takes the effort to add in the line breaks and I'm just too lazy to do it). Just something I noticed. Also: Koe means 'voice' and Eda means 'branch'. The Nara laziness shows.**

 **Deer-kun: So... What language am I speaking? I'm so confused!**

 **ML: You are Koe's imaginary friend, so of course the two of you speak English to each other! That's one way to differentiate you from the other Eda plushies, at least.**

 **Deer-kun: Ah... Can I have mochi?**

 **ML: *wringles nose* I don't see why you like those things... sure. In the freezer, bottom shelf.**

 **Deer-kun: Yay! Does me being an imaginary friend of Koe's mean I can break the forth wall?**

 **ML: I'll have to talk to 7S about that... but I don't see why not.**

 **Deer-kun: *grins and opens fridge* WAAAH! *runs over to just entering Koe* Koe-chan! Save me!**

 **Koe: ...Did I miss something?**

 **ML: Deer-kun opened the fridge instead of the freezer.**

 **Koe: And?**

 **ML: I think... *walks over to fridge* Yup. He saw these. *holds up jar of eyeballs***

 ***Eyeballs twitch towards Koe***

 ***Deer-kun whimpers***

 **Koe: Why the fuck are there eyeballs in the fridge?**

 **ML: *waves hand dismissively* Replacements. Now, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review on the way out! See ya!**


	4. Fiery Flower of Steel: Two

**Fiery Flower of Steel: Two**

 **Hit by Bricks**

I walked through the market, a hood hung up to my head suspiciously. Looking up at the sky, I see a faint figure of a bird flying past, and I knew all too well who it was. I sprinted to the nearest desolate place, finding myself in a forest deep within a clearing. I stop when I know I'm alone, and whistle loudly, the high pitched noise echoing through the empty forest.

"Hoo hoo hoo!" I extend an arm out, and from the sky, lands an orange at the palm of my hand. I extend my other arm for Kyokan to land on, and from out of nowhere she lands, my arm turning its metallic luster. I pocket the orange, and stroke Kyokan's soft feathers gently.

"Good girl." I coo, still rubbing its white feathers. Kyo gives an owlish purr.

I lower my hand to the ground, Kyokan jumping off to stand on the moist soil. I myself sit down, to Kyokan's level, peeling my orange slowly. The owl started to crane its neck, turning her head in all directions, before suddenly bolting out into the sky, returning moments later with a small rabbit at its claws. She positioned herself beside me, and both of us ate happily under the forest's shadows.

It was a fairly clear day, for this rainy village. It was cloudy, but hints of light blue could be seen underneath thick layers of cotton colored clouds. Rays of sunlight shone through these clouds, seeping through. Chirps of birds were the only sound in the desolate forest.

I loved it here.

Away from the loud voices of people, away from the bustling crowds of the village, and away from the jeering laughs of children as they played. It was so peaceful, silent, and serene. I now didn't mind the fact the only company I would ever have is Kyokan, I was actually very satisfied with it, but I was missing something.

There was an unfilled hole in my heart that wanted to be filled. A missing piece of the puzzle, and without it, I couldn't be complete. I was like a painting that had a blank space on the corner waiting to be painted with any color, but no one ever knew what to do with it. It was just there, in need of something. Perhaps a splat of color? More grass? Some flowers? I didn't know what this feeling was, the growing feeling of longing, that would one day pull me into the void if it wasn't satisfied. It seemed almost impossible to satisfy.

I sighed irritably, the feeling now weighed on my shoulders like an invisible brick, and my shoulders slumped tiredly. I stood up, finishing my meal, and by now, even Kyokan was finished, now staring at me, almost impatiently. But her large, soot-colored eyes were always so blank, it was hard to tell.

When I finally stood, her wings burst open, bolting up to the sky with great speed. I ran back into the village, keeping a watchful eye up above. What was I doing you ask? Everything and anything is what. Even if it was just sprinting around the village, or stealing even more oranges, I was up for anything. By now, running was like second nature, long distances, sprinting, you name it. The constant feeling of getting chased always pushed me to my limits, and even though I was small, I ran like the wind.

I was five now, or at least, my made up birthday said so. I could have been born on any month, but I was fond of the month April, and the number nineteen. I made it my birthday- and well, actually, in my previous life, I was born on April 19. I just chose to keep it.

Though, strolling around the town, I came to realize that there was indeed a school in the corner of an unexplored part of the rain. It was fascinating to see children my age learn about completely different things from what used to learn. Well for starters, when I was standing on a tree's branch watching one of the classes with older students, I… saw something I couldn't believe.

Two identical students standing beside each other.

And after a few seconds, the other student just suddenly disappeared. I looked around for signs of shocked reactions, or just really, any reaction. Even the teacher, just stared at him with the same gaze, unchanging. He even nodded at the student, and the boy took his seat. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Was I imagining things? Maybe I was seeing double. I mean, in my previous life, I wore glasses, so maybe I needed glasses in this life too.

The teacher called out someone's name, and now a girl stood up, walking to the front confidently. I stared at the scene, eyes never blinking. I watched as the girl put her hands together, and suddenly, in a puff of smoke, was another student identical the girl. My jaw slacked,and, leaning back, I blanched, almost falling from the tree.

I watched as other student came up to the front of the class, clasping their hands together, and making another copy of themselves. There was this wave of deja vu that overcame me each time they went in front of the classroom. I've seen this before. Where have I seen this before?

Suddenly, I remembered. Deep in my mind was a corner of unopened boxes from my previous world, and digging into it came my realization.

This village I grew up in was called Rain! As in Amegakure, Village Hidden under the Rain! This was no ordinary school, it was a school where little children were taught to be ninja, soldiers of war at their young age, trained to kill and assassinate. And this place is not Japan. I was in a completely different universe.

I was literally born in Naruto.

Not only that, but I was born with a skill that many shinobi would kill to have. I had an indestructible metal shell (or at least indestructible to an extent) or goodness sakes! If people knew what I could do, I would be turned into a killing machine, or forced to join ANBU. I was extremely lucky to not have been born in Konoha, the center of all the shit that's about to happen. In fact, the timeline could just stay as it is for all I care! But the truth was, I felt that Konoha would have treated me better than Ame did.

I jumped down the tree, having enough of the sight. The students were seated, and the teacher began his lecture. It was normal class from then on.

Kyo let out a small screech, swooping down to perch herself on my shoulder. We walked across streets, through the bustling crowds and buildings. I sighed at the loud chatter and resounding footsteps, pounding down the ground like rain crashing down on lakes. I didn't really have a good reputation around these parts. The second they see me, they see a thief.

But it's not like I had a choice. I didn't. I needed to survive, and stealing was the only way I could achieve that. But nobody understood.

While all these people had a home and families, I did not. I didn't have a bed to rest my head on, I didn't have a roof over my head, I didn't have food provided for me, and no one to take care of me. I was an orphan, on the streets with no money. And I liked it that way.

I kept walking aimlessly. Sighing at the few glares I received from the people I stole fruit from. Ever since that orange incident with the silver skin thingy, I relied on Kyokan to steal my food for me so I don't have to physically be there when I steal things, but walking around with Kyokan gave the message that I was the one who told her to steal it.

And really, who was gonna ignore a girl with a bird on her shoulder?

I hadn't been one of politics, but the government here was just awful, taking note that this was a world of war and fighting, the fact that this village is led by one man, without council or any other leader, is very unnerving. And just plain stupid. What type of government was that? It was like the people here were happy to have a dictator, someone who could potentially be the new and improved Hitler, with chakra, strong powers and everything.

And there was also the problem of manipulation. What if someone guised as the Kage? Then what would happen? Chaos.

But that was just politics and my smart-ass self, so disregard my opinion- or take it seriously, it won't matter.

I wasn't really focused on watching Naruto in my previous life, so I have yet to know the person leading this village, nor do I wish to. I just wanted to survive, make money, and live a peaceful life, possibly making friends on the way would be nice. It's funny how uncontent I was with the responsibilities I had in my previous life, and now look at me! No responsibilities, no expectations, perfectly independent-but I was being treated like crap.

Haven't I just emphasized the point so much? Well yeah, I was treated like crap if you haven't already noticed.

But then I thought of the opportunities.

Wouldn't I get payed for becoming a ninja as well? Maybe it was something that I should consider. But I had to weigh in my options. What would I gain from being a ninja?

Well, I would get paid. I could get myself a house and decent food asides from stealing fruit from the shopkeepers and stands.. I would learn to defend myself in case I get attacked by ninja-and there was a high probability I would get attacked, ninja or not. Being a ninja also had the word comrades connected to it, which meant I would gain the friends that I wanted, and a teacher to guide me to my path.

But on the other hand, I would get attention, something I did not want. My silver skin will attract many enemies and rivals. There was also this slight chance that they would send me back to an orphanage as soon as I enter the Academy, and the fact that the teachers there wouldn't allow me to attend because of my parents- or lack thereof- and not having a legal guardian will be a problem in the future. I would probably get bullied because of my skin, and being a ninja also increased my chances of dying young, which didn't really appeal to me at the moment.

And most of the downsides included how I got into the Academy, how I would be treated, and really didn't concern what would happen while I'm genin-well, the silver skin, which I now proceeded to call ginhada in an attempt to make this special ability sound cool. Ginhada literally meant silver skin, and I had the pleasure of naming it myself.

Back to the issue!

I whistled loudly, calling Kyokan's attention.

She settled herself down on my shoulders, and gave me a questioning hoot, as if to ask me what was wrong. Of course, my loud whistle drew the attention of many people, so we quickly ran to a more secluded area. I spoke once I was sure I was alone:

"Hey Kyokan, what do you think I should do?"

I knew fairly well that owls can't talk, which was fine by me, but as my first and only friend, she was the only one I could really rely on.

"Well on one hand I can get a bunch of friends, and I could be all badass and stuff, but on the other hand: ginhada." I muttered.

Kyokan stared at me, still as a statue, her eyes wide and curious. Wondering why she was being sucked up into my problems.

"Flap your left wing of you want me to be a ninja, and flap your right wing of you don't." I said.

She was still, making me wait in sheer painstaking agony. But after a few moments, she craned her neck to the wall on my right, and oddly enough the graffiti couldn't have been more conveniently placed.

There in bold artsy characters spelled the word "shinobi" in faded red. It was odd how conveniently placed it was. It was like life was giving me a sign, which really seldom happened at all in my previous life, because you know, I didn't believe in it, therefore I didn't notice. But now that life was basically throwing rocks with messages, I think I'll listen to it.

I really didn't waste any time signing up the Academy. I went straight there after reaching my decision. I was five now, which meant I should already have been in school. The last thing I wanted was to be behind in class, and get picked on for my low grades. Kyokan left to fly in the skies, and I envied her ability to just take off whenever and wherever she wanted.

The walk there went slow. I only assumed it was around four already, and students were being dismissed to go home because of the crowded streets filled with parents holding children's hands. I ignored them and made it to the registrations desk.

The woman behind the counter didn't see me.

God, I hated being short.

"Excuse me." I said quietly. The woman behind the counter looked at me in surprise, before asking, rather rudely:

"What do you want, brat?"

"I was wondering if I could get registration form to join the Academy late in the year, my parents told me to go to the Academy, and then someone could get me my forms." I said as a five year-old, trying my best to say it as cutely as any kid would. She merely rolled her eyes, handing me a form without question.

"Bring it back tomorrow. The list of materials you need is at the back, and school will start after the teachers evaluate your form." she said, rather quickly, getting the point across like she didn't want to talk to me. Though I was glad she was like that. She didn't question where my parents were, and she so badly wanted me gone that the encounter was brief and there were no problems.

And that so happened to be the turning point of my life, because it was utter pandemonium after that.

7S: (Looks around frantically) I think I lost them.

Kyokan: SKEEEEK!

7S: AAAAHHHHHH! OH GOD! NOT THE EYES! NOT THE EYES!

Mirako: Kyokan! What did I tell you about clawing the author's eyes?

Kyokan: (indignantly) Hoot.

 **7S hides behind Mirako**

Mirako: Wasn't two spares enough for you? I don't think we need four.

Kyokan: Hoot. Hoot.

Mirako: The ones on the other studio were already complaining about the jar in the fridge.

7S: Wait. But I told ML NOT to put it in the fridge.

Mirako: We're short on time. Anyway- Review, favorite, do whatever. Bye!

7S: Wait, but I wasn't done ye-

 **Screen turns black.**

TV: And now for the news.

 **TV plays weather forecast**


	5. Silent Voice of the Branch: Two

**M_L: I *bang* Hate *bang* This *bang* Chapter. *slam!* *the table now has a sizable dent in it* This stuff is hard. To. Wriiiiiiiite…**

 **7S: *winces* Oh God… We're gonna need a new table again, this is the fifth table you've dented! SOMEONE GET A NEW TABLE! I'M NOT DOING IT THIS TIME!**

 **M_L: What the hell are you going on about? Did you ruin the other ones? WAS IT KYO?!**

 **7S: Oh God! She's in her brain damage stage.**

 **M_L: I don't know what** _ **you're**_ **talking about. I also find it funny that you haven't seen the font yet XD**

 **7S: SHIT WE'RE IN COMIC SANS WHAT THE HELL?! MOTHER OF ALL FONT TYPES.**

 **M_L: *LMAO* Sans is my favorite Undertale character, so I thought that he'd help me not hate this chapter so much.**

 **7S: *sweatdrop* I saw that one coming. I prefer Papyrus though. I like Undyne toooooooo.**

 **M_L: I saw that. =] Alphys and Undyne forever!**

 **7S: ALRIGHT WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC! START THE CHAPTER!**

 **ML: You know you ship it B]**

 **7S: GAH THE SHIP!**

 **M_L: *a faint static starts* On that note** **—** **our audio's being bitchy. Crap. Well. See you all in the post-script!**

 **7S: Enjoy the chapter!**

.

.

Let is be said that any Nara, including the ever feared Nara Yoshino (feared because she inspired the Great Inspiration of all Nara females back in the year XXXX, much to the male's displeasure), hated waking up early. It was in our blood to be up-all-nighters and sleep-'til-noon, because the afternoon hours were when the shadows are the longest and darkest, and the night is when darkness rules. I'm getting way too poetic with this, but that's how it is for us. We dealt in shadows, and while we can ignore light, something closer to our own element but much more _whole_ and _definitive_ as darkness was… Well now, that was harder. Not impossible, but harder. Exponentially so. Hence the us being lazy in the daylight hours. At least, that was my theory.

But anyway, the point is none of us are morning glories. Which is why it was so surprising that Kaa-san woke me up at the kami-damned ass-crack of dawn. Pardon me, but we Nara (or Eda) like our goddamn sleep. Well, I did, until I remembered the day. _That_ woke me up.

" _Deer-kun!"_ I practically yelled when Kaa-san left me to get dressed. " _Guess what?_ "

I imagined his yawn as he 'woke up'. " _Whaa-aat? I thought Eda didn't wake up this early…"_

I plowed on with a giggle. _"I get introduced to the herd today!"_

Now he was awake. " _Really? Awesome! Just don't act all shy, like you usually do. They won't like that."_

I snort, pulling on a shirt. " _Tis this jealousy I hear, gracing my ears_?"

" _That rhymed!"_ he crowed. I simply nodded sagely and checked over myself in the mirror. I wore a pair of sturdy sandals (not quite the combat-ready ones that shinobi wore, but they were close enough), shin-length green capris, and a grey kimono shirt. I hummed, twisting this way and that in the mirror. It was silly, but my five-year-old self _really_ wanted to make an impression on Kaa-san and Tou-san's herd. I was careful not to wear anything the deer were blind to. And, if I tried, Kaa-san would just send me back with a warning.

I skipped outside, grinning so widely that it almost hurt. I can't help it! I was going to be introduced to Kaa-san and Tou-san's herd, and if they liked me, they'd let me look after my _own herd!_ How can I not be happy? It was my first steps to being an Eda. By name, I was an Eda, yes, but what really made you an Eda was a herd of aggressive deer that _could_ , possibly, kill you. 

I smiled at Kaa-san when I stepped outside, noting that neither Tou-san nor the herd were present. I could sense them in the forest.

"Ready?" Kaa-san asked, smiling down at me.

"Aa!" I nodded.

She took my hand, moving towards the sakura and birch forest. Every now and again, a Fire Oak would rise above the other trees, tall, with wide and drooping branches, perfect for the shinobi of Konoha. My smile wavered as I looked up at one such tree.

I closed my eyes briefly, feeling the (tight) bundle of energy that was my chakra core. My mother's chakra bubbled beside me, and her aura stretched out around her, stretching far and wide, but thickest at her skin. Most everyone's auras were thickest at their skin, and spread out as far as it would stretch; this 'bubble' was directly proportionate to their core and chakra levels. Mine started at my skin, and ended at that point. I looked at her arm, 'seeing' the small streams of chakra in it. Then, I looked down to my own arm. All I saw were pipes. Containment. Kaa-san's chakra was free-flowing—everyone else's chakra was free-flowing. They could easily draw from these streams; they were open. But I couldn't do that. I could try and create a 'leak' in my pipes, but the result was always the same. Chakra would shoot out in a highly concentrated blast, spiking pain, and forcing me to close the 'leak'. It was annoying, and more than disheartening, but how could one fight genetics.

Kaa-san caught my eye, and I looked away. "What's wrong, dear?"

"...Why is my chakra different?" I asked, scowling. "It hurts when I try using it outside my skin, and I can _feel_ _everyone_. I want to be a _kunoichi,_ a _fuuinjutsu mistress_ , but I _can't_ , because my chakra's all weird!"

Kaa-san sighed. "We honestly don't know why you can't mold chakra, Koe-chan, but we know why you're so sensitive to chakra. You're hyper-sensitive—so much so that you're almost allergic. That's…"

 _...a death-blow to any shinobi._

I nodded, already having guessed that much, but tears still stung my eyes, and I bit my lip to keep them back.

Kaa-san sighed, looking ahead. "Look! We're almost there!"

I allowed the happiness from earlier to come back, but my thoughts still lingered. _Why am I different?_

.

.

I huddled in a corner of my secret hideout with several papers spread out before me. Deer-kun was sulking in the pile of pillows on the other side, but I paid him no mind. My violet eyes were locked on the map, journal, and Monopoly-grade silver figurines. Each was set on along lines on the map, some shaped like deer (these stayed on the lines) and others like wolves and leaves. The lines were trade routes, deer the Eda caravans, leaves hired nin, and wolves bandits. The journal by my side held details of all of the caravans.

 _Hi-Kaze Road_

 _Caravans - five_

 _Goods - Fire Oak wood; medicinal herbs; fruits_

 _Protection - two Genin Corps Shinobi, one standard Konoha Shinobi Genin team_

 _Threats - Bandits have been wandering the road; small chance of genin to low chunin nukenin_

I was only focused on this one, since it was the one I was supposed to do. As the next-in-line if Daiki-ojisan didn't have a kid of his own, I was expected to plan the 'safest' and most efficient route(s) for Eda and the occasional Konoha trading caravans. Right now I was only working on the safest.

" _You used to hate stuff like this…"_ Deer-kun groaned. I shrugged.

" _That was before I was Eda Koe,"_ I shot back in English. I giggled at the bored-to-death huff. _"Emo."_

" _What?! Am not! How?!"_

" _You're about as sulky as Sasuke-bo."_

" _I refuse to be associated with that donkey-butt!"_

"...if I go this way, I can avoid the bandit activity here, but not…"

" _Koe-chan! Don't ignoooore meeee!"_

"...but if I…"

" _Koe-chaaaaaaan!"_

.

.

"Koe-chan…?" Tou-san called gently. I ignored him, burrowing myself deeper into my blankets.

"C'mon, Koe-chan, there's someone here to meet you..." no response. "I'll take away Deer-kun."

He is _not_ allowed to touch my plushie! "Mmmwah!" I yelled, launching myself from my bed and towards where I'd left Deer-kun. "He's _mine_."

"Knew that'd get you up," He chuckled. "Get dressed, Koe-chan, and make sure to wear something nice!"

He was gone.

" _...Who's here to see you?"_

Frowning, I cast out my senses. Someone was in the dining room with Kaa-san. Someone with a _huge_ amount of trained chakra. A shinobi? Why the hell did they bring a shinobi to come see me? There was no healing feel to them, so not a healer, so who…?

.

.

No. Fucking. Way. There was a freaking sanin sipping tea with Kaa-san in the dining room. Shit. _Shiiiiiiiit._ This was a dream. A really, really awesome dream, but a dream nonetheless—

I choked slightly when Jiraiya's chakra fluctuated as he laughed. Nope. Not a dream. Maybe they found him at the hotsprings and brought him over to sign my book. My book.

I tugged on Tou-san's sleeve and, wide-eyed, motioned back to my room frantically. He nodded, laughing. I grinned and ran back to my room.

"Deer-kun!" I whisper-shouted. "Deer-kun! It's _him_!"

" _How are you a Nara?"_ Deer-kun groaned. _"You have way too much energy! And who?"_

I dug around my bookshelf. Not here. Scowling, I slid underneath my bed and into my hideout. Where was it…? There! Grabbing the plain brown book, I was up and out of my hideout in a flash, showing the book to Deer-kun. " _Him!_ "

" _No..._ "

"Yes!" I grabbed one of my notebooks, flipping through it to make sure it was the right one. "Wish me luck!"

" _Make our readers laugh!"_

.

.

Target in sight. I nearly giggled to myself, but I knew that that would utterly defeat the purpose of my job. Slow, quiet breaths, chakra-softened footsteps, careful, precise movements. Nothing could go wrong, if this was to work.

Carefully, I settled myself on the cushion next to my target. Kaa-san and Tou-san had both seen me when I walked in, though they both enjoyed my 'missions' as much as I did (thank kami for that) and kept the target's attention as I snuck up. I turned my head (carefully) to stare blankly at him.

(Awhile back, I'd learned from one of the genin in the Genin Corps that if you directed a chakra to your eyes in a specific way, you could keep them open _forever_. I'd used it many times since.)

"So where is this kid of yours?" Jiraiya was saying.

My parents shared a knowing look. Jiraiya frowned suspiciously. "She likes to hide," Tou-san explained after maybe too long a pause. "And that you're basically her idol means she's going to try extra hard to impress you."

"Not to mention she's almost unnaturally sneaky," Kaa-san sighed. "I swear she was the one that stole all of my sheets."

"What?" Jiraiya sounded amused.

"Three years ago the sheets in the linen closet disappeared. That was around the time Koe-chan started to disappear into what she called her 'secret hiding spot'." I saw Kaa-san shake her head out of the corner of my eye. "I spent weeks trying to get her to tell me where it is."

Tou-san shook his head too. "We still haven't found it."

"Really?" Jiraiya laughed. "That's impressive. Where is she?"

I grinned briefly, then schooled my face into blankness. "Konichiwa, Jiraiya-sama."

I burst into giggles as he yelped and leapt to his feet. I just scared the bajibas out of one of the legendary sannin. My parents were also laughing, calmer than me, but they were still laughing. Oh man, this was _priceless_!

"How long—" he spluttered. I grinned up at him.

"Since you asked where I was," I answered. I swear he pouted.

"How'd you do it?" I cocked my head to the side and he explained. "How'd you manage to sneak up on me?"

"I was _quiet_." I whispered the last word. "Like a shadow. A very sneaky shadow."

He turned to my parents for translation as he sat. Tou-san sighed. "She has next to no chakra aura."

I grinned wider. "No sense me coming. Like a shadow."

Jiraiya snorted at my input. "You'd be a good infiltrator. Have you considered joining the Academy in Konoha?"

I scowled. "Yes."

Kaa-san sighed. "She _also_ has chakra hypersensitivity. She's extremely hypersensitive."

"Which is why we asked you to come by," Tou-san interjected. "Koe-chan's a fan of your work."

My mood lifted. "Oh!" I shoved the book forward. "Can you sign this?"

For a second, a horrified realization spread across his face. Then he read the cover. " _The Tale of The Utterly Gutsy Shinobi_? It's been awhile since I've signed this book. It didn't sell very good..." He pulled out a pen and flipped the cover, signing it with a flourish. "Still! It's good to see that some like it. Here you go. Museikage."

I smiled, taking my book and flipping through it. His eyebrows rose as he examined the notes in the margins.

"What's all this?" He motioned towards the notes.

I hummed. "My notes? I have more here." My journal was held up. "I'm trying to work out what Naruto-kun looks like, what could be different to gather more interest in the book, and some other stuff. Have you ever considered a sequel? Maybe if you write about Naruto-kun's daughter, you'd get more attention…?"

I stopped, seeing the glint in his eye. Scowling, I continued. " _If_ you keep the rating the same, and shone more light on the kunoichi side of shinobi work, you'd not only gain money, but also more respect to _some_. Ero-sanin."

"Koe-chan!"

"He was thinking of turning my idea into the smut he usually writes!"

"How does she know about that?"

"This is troublesome…" A thought hit me as the adults bickered. "Doesn't Daiki-san own the first volume of Icha Icha?"

"Tou-san?" I interrupted, before Kaa-san could go off and kill Daiki-ojisan for leaving his smut lying around. "What does my hypersensitivity have to do with Jiraiya-sama being here?"

That cut off the argument. By the look Jiraiya was giving them meant that they didn't tell him either.

Tou-san paused, gathering his thoughts. "Jiraiya-sama, while having you sign Koe-chan's book is a nice bonus, that was not the purpose of inviting you into the Eda compound."

Kaa-san continued. "Last year, I learned a very… interesting fact about my daughter." She smiled at me. "Among writing and art, Koe expressed that she wishes to learn seals."

I blushed, staring down at my (many) representations and sketches of Naruto-kun. I'd based one on Minato, one was even an Uzumaki. I fiddled with the corner of the page. Something pulled the journal from my lap. Looking up, I saw the contemplative look on the sannin's face. His eyes scanned over the page, then he turned to the next page, and scanned over that. My blush brightened, and I looked away.

"You have a good eye for detail—almost uncanny, really—and while your calligraphy _could_ be better…" he trailed off with a hum. "How good are you at cryptology?"

"Ano…" I frowned. Ango-gaku? What?

"Codes," Tou-san supplied. Oh. _Oh._ Ango meant code, or cipher—something along that idea. Kami, I feel stupid.

"I've started learning hanakotoba," I started, chewing on my lip. Then I stopped, because Kaa-san was frowning at me. "And… ano, I've started on… my own?" I cringed at how unsure I sounded.

"You have?" Jiraiya sounded surprised. Right. Because I was only six in their eyes. Not twenty-one. Oh, I'm now a legal adult back in America. Yay. You know, that'd help if I didn't die.

I blushed, running a nail along the grain of the table. It felt weird, because my arm was twisted weirdly to do it, but it didn't bother me so much. I was more bothered by the stares I was getting. "I've… only started on the… first… ano…" I counted, "seven… symbols? There's twenty-six, but… ano... I've only seven? Yeah." Kami, that sounded lame. I blushed harder.

(How, I have no clue.)

"I… see." Jiraiya stood. "I'll consider teaching your daughter, Eda-san. And gaki," I looked up, and was surprised to see him wink, "I'll think on that sequel."

My first influence on the world, and it's getting a famous pervert to consider to write a sequel. I'm happy.

I hummed. "Can I help write it?"

He roared.

.

.

 **M_L: Done! Finished! *sigh* Yay. And look, we're not in comic sans anymore.**

 **Deer-kun: *something shatters* I broke the waaaaaall.**

 **M_L: Aren't you a special snowflake? Yes, but you do realize that you have no influence on the world. You are only a thought process of Koe's.**

 **Koe: He's not listening.**

 **M_L: Right, so our audio's fixed- *BZZT!* ...maybe. And 7S has abandoned us. REVIEWS ARE WELCOME!**

 **7S: I DIDN'T ABANDON YOU! I LITERALLY CAN'T SEE! WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE?!**

 **M_L: *turns the Deer-kun* Was there anyone nearby when you broke that wall?**

 **Deer-kun: Um…**

 **M_L: Right. *sigh* THE EYEBALLS ARE IN THE FRIDGE!**

 **7S: I TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE! IT FEELS WEIRD WHEN YOU PUT IT IN THE SOCKET! IT'S ALL COLD AND STUFF!**

 **M_L: HOW ELSE CAN I KEEP THEM PRESERVED! IF I PUT THEM IN VINEGAR THEN IT'LL HURT. How those Uchiha do it is beyond me.**

 **7S: I CURSE ALL OF THE UCHIHA IN THE WORLD! Not you Itachi, you're just fine. Carry on.**

 **Itachi: Hn.**

 **Koe: Right. No more shouting- AND DON'T BRING AN UCHIHA IN HERE! THEIR CHAKRA** _ **BURNS MY THROAT!**_

 **M_L: That's nice.** _ **Hypocrite.**_

 **7S: Oh well. Shoo Itachi! Begone!**

 ***Itachi leaves***

 **M_L: After this one thing, we're stopping the script. How did Itachi get in? I thought only authors, naru-me's and our friends could. HE HASN'T EVEN BEEN INTRODUCED YET.**

 **7S: I let him in. He wanted tea.**

 **D-kun, M_L, Koe: Doesn't he like sweets?**

 **M_L: Is he being** _ **sweet**_ **on you?**

 **7S: SHUT UP! AJFLAWIEHFNN**

 **Koe: Well, she's broken. Thanks, Lynx. Anyway, the chapters over! Go comment in the review box, or something…**

 **Everyone: Bye!**


End file.
